SEWARD, Neb. – The annual Cattle Classic has reached year 27. Once again, the basketball classic features a total of four men’s games and four women’s games over the course of the two-day (Nov. 6-7) extravaganza. The event, co-sponsored by Concordia and Cattle Bank & Trust, raises money and food for the Blue Valley Community Action's Food Pantry and other local food pantries. Pac N Save of Seward will match all canned food donations.
Fans are encouraged to bring canned goods in exchange for admission. Ten canned items will get an adult a weekend pass. Complete admission information for the Cattle Classic can be found HERE. Tickets will not be sold online for this particular event.
The Cattle Classic celebrated its 26th year in 2025. Last year’s Cattle Classic raised 12,627 cans of food and $3,174 in cash, bringing the 26-year totals to 166,234 canned food items and $45,267.75.
The women’s field at this year’s Cattle Classic is especially loaded, featuring teams with NAIA preseason rankings of 2, 3, 10 and 16.
Live webcasts: Concordia Sports Network | Live stats: PrestoStats
2026 CATTLE CLASSIC SCHEDULE
Friday, Nov. 6
- Women: Dakota Wesleyan University vs. Dakota State University, 2 p.m.
- Women: Concordia vs. Montana Technological University, 4 p.m. (Max Country radio)
- Men: Concordia vs. Maharishi International University, 6 p.m.
- Men: Hastings College vs. Judson University (Ill.), 8 p.m.
Saturday, Nov. 7
- Women: Dakota Wesleyan University vs. Montana Technological University, 10 a.m.
- Women: Concordia vs. Dakota State University, 12 p.m.
- Men: Concordia vs. Judson University (Ill.), 2 p.m.
- Men: Hastings College vs. Maharishi International University, 4 p.m.
The Women’s Field
No. 10 Concordia University Bulldogs
Head Coach: Drew Olson, 21st season
2025-26 Record: 23-8 (NAIA National Championship First Round)
2026-27 Record: 2-0
Conference: Great Plains Athletic Conference
Location: Seward, Nebraska
Top Player: It’s a balanced roster that features five returners who averaged more than 7.5 points per game last season. Tops among them is sophomore guard Ayla Roth (Second Team All-GPAC), who finished her freshman year at 11.0 points per contest while sinking 51 treys.
Overview: The return of the bulk of last season’s roster led to Concordia garnering a No. 10 preseason national ranking. The Bulldogs boast plenty of backcourt depth thanks to the presence of players like Ayla Roth, in addition to seniors Bree Bunting and Sammy Leu. The roster talent grew with the additions of freshmen Maci Pittenger and Ava Reed. In the frontcourt, Raelyn Kelty provides a diversified skillset. Concordia started 2-0 last week with comfortable wins over Valley City State University (N.D.), 112-69, and William Penn University (Iowa), 92-42.
No. 3 Dakota State University
Head Coach: David Moe, 10th season
2025-26 Record: 30-6 (NAIA National Championship Semifinalist)
2026-27 Record: 1-2
Conference: Frontier Conference
Location: Madison, South Dakota
Top Player: Senior guard Caitlin Dyer, a native of Morphettville, South Australia, earned First Team All-Frontier Conference accolades last season after she averaged 11.2 points and 1.9 steals per game. Dyer was also named to the league’s all-defensive team.
Overview: Over his first nine years as head coach, David Moe has led the Trojans to tremendous heights, including a trip to the 2026 NAIA national semifinals. Furthermore, his program has won six consecutive conference championships, including one last season in its first season as a member of the Frontier Conference. Dakota State graduated NAIA First Team All-American Tabor Teel. The third-ranked Trojans are 1-2 having been upset by No. 23 Oregon Tech and unranked Grand View University (Iowa).
No. 2 Dakota Wesleyan University
Head Coach: Jason Christensen, 17th season
2025-26 Record: 29-7 (NAIA National Championship Semifinalist)
2026-27 Record: 2-0
Conference: Great Plains Athletic Conference
Location: Mitchell, South Dakota
Top Player: Take your pick between returning First Team All-GPAC award winners Avery Broughton (14.6 ppg, 8.4 rpg in ’25-26) and Emma Yost (15.1 ppg, 4.4 rpg in ’25-26). Broughton was named the 2025-26 GPAC Defensive Player of the Year.
Overview: Dakota Wesleyan opened this season as the GPAC co-favorite along with Dordt. The Tigers won the GPAC tournament and reached the national semifinals last season behind Broughton (First Team All-American) and Yost (Second Team All-American). DWU graduated star guard Rylee Rosenquist but is well-positioned to compete for conference and national championships. Head Coach Jason Christensen has steered the program to nine national tournament appearances with an NAIA Division II national championship occurring in 2018.
No. 16 Montana Technological University Diggers
Head Coach: Jeff Graham, 5th season
2025-26 Record: 26-5 (NAIA National Championship Second Round)
2026-27 Record: 3-0
Conference: Frontier Conference
Location: Butte, Montana
Top Player: Junior forward Halle Haber (Billings, Mont.) earned Second Team All-Frontier Conference accolades last season as she averaged 11.9 points and 5.4 rebounds per game while shooting 51.5 percent from the floor.
Overview: Head Coach Jeff Graham has guided the program to back-to-back national tournament appearances. Led by NAIA Third Team All-American Hadley Humpherys (2026 graduate), the Diggers defeated Dakota State in the Frontier Conference tournament championship game and reached the second round of the national tournament. Haber and junior guard Booke Badovinac both averaged in double figures last season and are the team’s most acclaimed returners.